Normandy · Eure, France

Château Gaillard

Richard the Lionheart's 'saucy castle', thrown up in barely two years on the chalk cliffs above the Seine to lock Philip Augustus out of Normandy — state-of-the-art military engineering fresh from the Crusades. It fell anyway, in 1204, after an epic siege; the ruin above Les Andelys is one of France's great medieval silhouettes.

At a glance

Built: 1196–1198
Style: Crusader-era military architecture
Commissioned by: Richard I of England (the Lionheart)
Signature feature: Innovative concentric defences on a Seine chalk spur
Speed: Built in under two years (1196–1198) — astonishing for its scale
The siege: Taken by Philip Augustus in 1204, opening Normandy to France
Today: Romantic ruin above Les Andelys; outer works freely accessible
Visiting: Ruin; keep area open seasonally